Shadowborn Royals - G. Bailey Page 0,1

is meant to be the start of the celebration.

“I’ve always loved the dawn,” I whisper as he steps closer to me. The sunlight catches the brilliance of his eyes, highlighting his strong jawline and high cheekbones. The fae king never looked as beautiful to me until this moment, captured by the sunlight bathing his kingdom.

“My middle name is Dawn after my great-grandfather,” he tells me, the smile returning to his lips. “Now, let us seal our fate with a kiss.”

Before I can answer, the king presses his lips to mine, and for one night I forget the world waiting for me outside of the castle. I forget the mate who betrayed me. I forget everything, and nine months later, I am given the greatest gift of all—a child born at dawn’s first light.

“Move it,” one of the guards hisses, the sound of his taser cutting through the silence.

I spin around to see Axel and Luke being dragged off by two armored guards. My heart stutters in my chest. Shoving the Light Fae castle and being in the Fae kingdom to the back of my mind, I focus on my friends who need me. “Where are you taking them?” I snarl at the guard standing by the gate.

He just laughs behind his helmet, his white overalls rustling as he follows the others out.

“We will find you soon,” Luke shouts over his shoulder. “Be careful, jaybird!” Luke’s voice carries to me and I run to the gate, grabbing the iron bars between my fingers.

I watch helplessly as they shove my guys down a corridor and everything turns deafeningly silent. Panic creeps into me as I sweep my gaze around the outside of my cell, searching for a way out. But it’s just a bland room constructed of white walls and squeaky clean floors. The only way out is the corridor the guards forced my guys into.

My pulse accelerating, I look around again, this time more desperately, wishing I could see something, anything to give me a clue as to where I am or how to escape. My wings flutter behind me and I stare at them like they aren’t really here. I reach back to stroke the sparkling, almost see-through tips of them.

I’m a Light Fae.

No matter how many times I repeat the sentence in my head, it doesn’t make a difference. I still struggle to believe it.

Lifting my shirt, I look for any sign of the injury I had, but I don’t find any.

Shit. What happened to me? Why are we in the Light Fae kingdom?

The last time I saw these wings, I was strapped down to a bed with a bunch of wardens looming over me. My magic ended up killing them. I wonder if I can use that power again?

I hold my hands out and try to call my power like I would for my shadowborn magic, but nothing happens.

Fuck, I’m so screwed.

Sucking in the sweet-smelling air, I hear heels clicking on tiles in the distance, but slowly they sound nearer with every step and a grim feeling settles into my chest. Never one to ignore my instinct, I back away to the corner of the room. I don’t have any weapons, my powers aren’t working, and I’m locked up again. I am not going down without a fight.

To say I’m shocked when a woman I’ve only seen once at a distance stops in front of the bars of my room would be an understatement.

Eva, the Princess of Helios, stands with her hands on her hips. A white cloak hangs off her light pink clothes, spilling onto the floor around her. Knee-high white leather boots, which I kind of like, stomp the floor twice and a guard hurries to open the door for her to step in.

I remember seeing Eva at a Light Fae Parade that Willow and I had sneaked into the city to watch. She sat with the king and five of his mistresses on a carriage pulled by twenty white stallions over pathways littered with glitter and white roses. I remember thinking how beautiful she was and how jealous I felt that I couldn’t be her. The kingdom loved her. They cheered for her but I’ve heard that has all changed recently, ever since what Princess Eva changed into. The once white-haired, stunning princess has an aura that stinks of darkness, and her pale skin almost looks grey. Darkness veils her eyes, though I suspect she hides it well when the moment arises.

“You know, I’m curious.